1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns self powered, portable glare screens for automotive vehicles such as cars and trucks, and more particularly glare screens for the windshield or rear glass which are selectively extendible and retractable over the inside of the windshield.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The problem of eliminating glare for the driver (and passengers) of automotive vehicles has not heretofore been solved completely satisfactorily.
The most common solution has included fold down visors which are standard equipment on cars and trucks. When these are used, a substantial obstruction of the viewing area results. Tinting of the windshield is also widely practiced, but this is usually limited to the upper edges of the windshield lest the view be unduly darkened under nighttime or low light conditions.
The sun is often at low angles during commuting times of day, and the rays of the sun are often able to penetrate the glass below the tinting and create intense glare.
Numerous retractable glare screen devices have thus been proposed, some of which are powered, for example, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,633 issued on Dec. 31, 1991; U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,506 issued on Mar. 19, 1991; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,363,666 issued on Jan. 16, 1968.
These devices have not been completely satisfactory as being too complicated or bulky, inconvenient to use, or costly to manufacture and install, particularly when added as an accessory.
These above referred to devices firstly lack simplicity of design, and most importantly are complicated to install and thus are costly. The automobile must be substantially modified by the manufacturers to accommodate these complex devices, which in turn will increase the cost to the consumer. Secondly, these devices for the most part can only be factory installed in new automobiles, and when once installed, can only be used for that particular vehicle. Thus, when buying another car, the consumer has to again pay for a new glare screen and the cost keeps adding on. The prior devices are intended for new vehicles only, and are not feasible to install in existing cars.
The object of the present invention is to provide a portable powered glare screen device which is simple, effective and convenient to use and install and which may be manufactured at low cost.